IGGY: A Maximum Ride Fan Fic
by GoTheDistance
Summary: This is a fan fic set in Iggy's POV shortly after Fang.
1. A New Task

It has been 3 days since Fang has left us. Since his departure everyone has been more quiet than usual, especially Max. It's very unlike Max to be this quiet, and it's just downright weird when Nudge is quiet. Gazzy and I have discussed creating some bomb to destroy Fang with once we find him, but according to Gazzy, she just glared at us when we mentioned it. The only one who isn't truly affected is Dylan, the newest winged boy. Something in me feels like he wanted Fang gone so he could have Max all to himself.  
How do I feel now that Fang is gone? Well, I miss him to be honest. For the first time since that school in DC (God, that feels like a lifetime ago) I cried. Fang was always there for the Flock, there for me. Even though I pretended not to notice, he helped me with a lot of things, and he was second to Gazzy in who I was closest too.  
Like that time we had the mini-Flock and he described the girls on the beach to me. We were just dudes for a while. That is, just dudes until the stupid Flyboys appeared.  
Enough about the past and that crap.  
I woke up first today. Usually Max is the first one to wake, but since this whole Fang thing she has been sleeping later. I guess she deserves it.  
I walked to the kitchen, enjoying the silence. But nothing is ever truly silent to me. To make up for my lack of sight, my hearing is amazing. Kind of like a bat, I guess.  
I felt the cabinets and found the white one, the one where the pans were. I grabbed the black pan. I decided to make scrambled eggs for breakfast today. Not to toot my own horn, but eggs are one of my best dishes. Although my best has to be lasagna, I doubt anyone wants that for breakfast since we are actually living inside now  
I walked over to the fridge and got out the eggs. I cracked all 24 eggs into a glass bowl, and whisted them in with shredded cheddar cheese and milk. I poured the eggs into the buttered skillet, and heard them sizzle. Then I heard another sound. Footsteps. They sounded light, and there was no nauseating oder with it, but a flowery one like some fancy perfume. It was Nudge. I was surprised she was up, she usually was the last one to wake.  
"Hey Nudge." I said, head turning towards her general direction.  
Even though we have been together for years, it still somewhat creeped them out that I could indentify exactly who everyone was because of their scent and footsteps.  
"Those eggs smell delish!" Nudge said. I think she was smiling. At least the tone of her voice sounded happy enough.  
The Flock slowly woke one by one, as the smell of the eggs drifted through the house. Gazzy was next, then Dylan, Angel, and finally Max.  
I carried the dish filled with eggs, and Nudge helped out carrying the toast. Max tried to chip in and be the leader and mother figure (No, I'm not being sarcastic, believe it or not) and carried over orange juice and a pot of coffee.  
Some of you may be wondering where our Canine American friends are, well they are on their honeymoon at a very animal friendly resort in Malibu.  
"Guys... I have an announcement," said Max, the first really leadery thing she has said since Fang left. "We are going on a little bit of a trip... I found a file on Fang's computer, it shows that some of the mutants from the institute survived. They have their own little oddball flock thing in Texas." Max explained.  
"What about Total and Akila?" Angel asked. She sounded like a little girl when she said that, unlike that weird demon leader thing she was last week. If it was between Angel and Max when it came to leadership, I'd pick old Max. Not heartbroken Max, not in love Max, but determined fight to the death Max.  
"I think my mom can take care of them until we get there. Akila will be kind of hard to carry.. She is much heavier than Total, and Total can fly now. But, he won't want to leave her alone." Max told Angel.  
Angel must of agreed because she didn't say anything else.  
During the day Gazzy and I prepared in secret the explosives we were planning on taking with us. It still surprises Max how we are able to sneak in bombs and such, it sometimes makes her mad. In the long run she and the rest of the Flock are thankful, since it usually saves the day (Or so I like to think).  
"Mini bomb?" I called out to Gazzy.  
"Check." He replied.  
"Detonators?"  
"Check."  
"Lock picking kit?"  
"Check."  
It continued like that as I read off the list I made in my head.  
That night we were ready to take flight. We all stood on the roof of the house, and one by one we leaped and began to soar.  
The thrill of flying is amazing, but I kind of miss flying with Fang. Before he and Max got all cozy he would fly with me, alerting me when to dive for a huge tree or something. But it's nice having my best friend Gazzy at my side.  
We flew for about 2 and a half hours, we were now in Texas. Not exactly where the mutants were, but we now were all hungry and tired.  
One upside of working with the CSM, and that little celeb stint we had with Angel was that we weren't dumpster diving anymore. So, it was nice going to Sonic and ordering 10 burgers, 12 boxes of tater tots, 2 grilled cheese sandwiches and 6 XL drinks.  
I had 2 a double burgers with everything on them and jalapeños for extra kick, 2 orders of cheese tots, and an extra large grape, orange, and cherry mix supreme slush. This wasn't exactly my great cooking, but it was better than some of the crap we have eaten like desert rat, lizard, and possum.  
I sat at the table with the rest of the Flock – well most of the Flock. Max told Gazzy to eat by himself after he ordered chili tots, I think everyone was thankful for that call.  
We decided to crash in a near by park to relive the old days on the run. To tell the truth, it was kind of soothing to lay on a branch of a tree with the sound of the night birds and crickets both chirping.  
I let my wings unfold all the way, and drifted off to sleep in blackness, like it was when I woke up. The same blackness I "see" everyday of my life. 


	2. The New Mutants In Town

Waking up sucks sometimes.  
I guess to make up for my lack of sight I have a very vivid imagination, so my dreams are amazing (or at least to me). I was dreaming of bombing all the evil scientists that ever lived, and then laughing as they splatted everywhere. Then, I was famous, and had everything I ever wanted. Or, I think that's what happened, because a certain Ken-doll named Dylan woke us all up.  
"Guys! Get up! You need to see this amazing sunrise!" He called loudly.I was pissed to say the least, I leave my amazing dreamworld only to be crushed by reality. Like I said, waking up sucks.  
"Ugh, Dyl' I have seen tons of them. I mean it's pretty and all," Hearing Max say the word pretty amuses me somehow. "but we have been on the run before and seen many outside sunsets."  
I guess Dylan didn't know he hit a nerve, or the Flock rule never to wake Max unless someone is attacking. Or the unspoken rule, never tell all of us to see something since all of us can't.  
Wow, I rant way too much, don't go thinking that I am one big woe-is-me kind of guy, since I am not. I just complain when I am pissed. I am pissed now.  
A couple more hours of dreamless sleep later Max decided it was time for us to get up, and head back on the mutant trail.  
We flew for about a half an hour until we landed in this small town for breakfast.  
All of us were starving, so we were grateful for the cinnamon rolls Max got from a convenience store in the town.  
After about 30 rolls and 6 extra large coffees later we were airborne again.  
God, it feels good to fly, the sensation of the wind under your wings, the swooping, diving, and turns, it's kind of like bird-kid poetry.  
Well, an hour later we landed at the supposed site of the mutants who escaped the institute. It was kind of thrilling – knowing that we weren't the only ones who were still alive. Well, and Total too. I wondered why these mutants survived, since most of the human/animal mixes who were imprisoned by the whack jobs at the School, Itex, and the Institute For Higher Learning failed.  
We walked against hot desert ground, and what ever scenery there was around. I wouldn't imagine much.  
Then there it was. The group of mutants that also escaped, I heard a girl voice scream as we walked near her. I could hear her scream clearer on my right side, so I imagined she was standing somewhere on the right.  
Then I heard it, something amazing. Wings unfolding! She was a winged kid too!  
"Who are you!" She screamed again. This time, she sounded more screechy. I wondered if she was maybe part owl.  
"Wow!" I heard Angel marvel. "I have never seen wings like that before! No feathers on them!" It was nice that Angel didn't know something for once.  
"She is part bat." Dylan said.  
Bat, huh? Some days I feel closer to bats than I do to birds or humans.  
They have wings, can't see (well, they can't see well), have amazing hearing, and are intelligent. If they loved explosion and gore I'd say I was also part bat.  
"Do you have a name?" I asked her.  
"Yeah... It's Brooke." She said. I could tell that she was shy. I could relate.  
"Well Brooke," Max said. "I am Max, leader of the Flock, this is Nudge, Angel, Dylan, Gazzy, and Iggy."  
It's great to have your name said last.  
"I can't see you very well... But you sound very nice..." Brooke said, I heard her feet move back past some trees. Then, I heard her make some whistle sound.  
"These are the others I have been living with," Brooke said as she arrived with 4ew pairs of feet.  
"One of them is like you guys, she has bird wings too."  
"Hi," A new girl's voice said shyly. She couldn't be older than Gazzy, maybe younger.  
"My name is Sarrah,"Her voice seemed to be getting quieter. I couldn't blame her, she had been on the run for about a year, and before that in a dog crate.  
"This is Rate, and Night." She said. I can bet she was gesturing to them.  
"Rate is part rattle snake, he only has the fangs and stuff." Brooke explained. I think she was now more comfortable with us. "And Night is my brother, blood brother. He also has bat in him too,"  
"OMIGOD! YOU GUYS ARE AMAZING! Bats! That is sooo cool! You guys will get along well with Iggy since he is blind and all, and you guys can't see well." Leave it to Nudge to blurt stuff like that out. "And, Sarrah! That is an amazing name! Your wings are SOOO cute! Rate! Snakes are gross and all, but I bet you have cool powers!"  
Nudge is such a chatterbox, I am surprised she just didn't tell them our whole life story, or scare them away with all her loud chatter.  
I needed to take this all in. 4 new mutants. 3 with wings. 2 that were almost blind One a girl... My age I think...  
Wow, all this new stuff, and no real threats all in 24 hours. That's major. Even for us.


	3. Welcome To The Flock

Shortly after we met the new mutants I found a nice hard rock to sit on and think for a bit.  
Change is a constant in out lives, if we didn't have change we wouldn't be us. But, still, it was kind of hard to swallow 2 new bird kids (I'm counting Dylan in this), 2 bat kids, and 1 snake kid all in one month.  
The others were off doing stuff. Stuff that probably required sight. Besides, if it was important Max would let me know.  
I was now tuned into my iPod, putting it on shuffle. I'd like to think I have a broad taste in music, I love classic stuff from the 70's and 80's, and also some current hard rock.  
I let myself drift into a state where I wasn't really paying attention to everyone else, but to the music I was listening too. I guess it's my form of meditation.  
After about an hour of that I was getting kind of hungry, and I was sure that the new mutants were hungry too. They looked like they had even less regular access to food than we used to. That made me get angry at those stupid White-coats all over again! They were the ones who thought it would be fun to experiment on humans! Alter their body parts with no regard for the possible side effects, be it blindness, deafness, or even death. Sure, the operation was shut down, but those scum-bags were still alive, and there are still tons of other non sciecetist nut cases out there. That's one advantage of being a bird-kid, you can kick the asses of those idiots who need serious mental help.  
When I found the Flock I heard Nudge say "Oh, good! The whole Flock is here now! Now, we can start the meeting!" I walked closer to where her voice was coming from, and waited for Max's instructions.  
"Okay, this is my first time breaking the whole 'Maxocracy' thing, but I just got an idea we should do this," Max said in her fierce, leader tone.  
I was almost certain that when Max said 'I just got an idea' she meant Angel put the idea in her head. That kid scares me sometimes.  
"What is this meeting about?" I asked her.  
"Well, it's the first bird-kid election – Not for Flock leader. That's my job. But, if we should let Rate, Brooke, Night, and Sarrah into the flock." She replied forcefully. "So, everyone in favor of letting them in raise your hand."  
I raised my hand quickly. There was a brief moment of silence, I think Max was counting the votes.  
"It's unanimous!" Max announced. "I'll go find them, and tell them. We are gonna spend the night here after dinner, then fly back." Max said, as if she had known this plan for years.  
I followed the direction – north, that the sounds of the Flock's feet moving were headed. I was pretty sure that we were going to tell Brooke, Sarrah, Rate, and Night that they were accepted into the Flock.  
"Hey, guys," Max said casually, trying her hardest not to come off as... well... herself.  
"Hey yourself..." Sarrah said quietly. "I don't know if I ever said this, but thank you!"  
I knew what she meant, about a year ago when we were at The Institute For Higher Living we rescued a bird-kid. I never put 2-and-2 together, but it made sense. She was the weak little bird girl that Max carried out before she killed Ari. The first time he died.  
If you don't know about that, sucks for you. Read the books Max wrote.  
"Oh," Max was taken aback by the tone of her voice. "No one belongs in a cage EVER. I lived years in a cage. We all did." She was starting to sound real emotional. "Listen, Sarrah, can you get the others in your group?" Max asked regaining her compositor  
"Sure!" Sarrah said in a sunny voice. She reminded me of a mix of Nudge (minus the annoying talking) and Angel (minus the potential to become evil).  
About 3 minutes later she came back, walking through a few desert bushes with Night, Rate, and Brooke.  
"We, the Flock, would like to ask you to come join us." Max said waisting no time.  
"We'd reaaaaaly love to have you in Colorado!" Nudge added.  
They paused thinking for a quick moment, then almost all in unison Brooke, Rate, Night, and Sarrah said "Yes."  
"Good," Max said. She then proceeded to tell them the plan.  
We all the flew into town, besides Rate (Who seems to have super-human speed, or some power like that) for dinner.  
We folded our wings in neatly and walked into a diner.  
When we entered it, it was probably every stereo type that you could imagine for a small town diner. They had 50's music playing in the background, old ladies yelling out things like "Jack and Jill with a hill!", and walls that were an awful shade of pink. I really didn't feel any of the other decor But, just imagine a stereotypical diner and you have where we were.  
Dylan (who despite being annoying and younger than us can probably read better than Max) whispered the menu to me.  
As we sat down at their family size table, a waitress walked up to us and gasped. My guess she recognized us from one of many places where our faces had appeared. Willingly or not. Most of the time not.  
"W-what can I get you? Anything you want!" She said, I think there was a bit of fear in her voice.  
"I'd like 4 grilled cheese sandwiches, 2 strawberry milkshakes,and 3 fries! Oh, and a Dr. Pepper!" Nudge ordered.  
As she went around the table and collected the orders it took her 3 sheets of paper to write it all down.  
"Is that it?" She asked, sounding a bit exhausted  
I nodded. I wasn't sure if the others did, but I heard 2 or 3 "Yeah"'s.  
About 15 minutes later our dinner was ready.  
The food was really good, I can now understand why people like small town diners so much.  
Today had actually been a good day, and I couldn't wait for what our future could bring. For once. 


	4. The Probe

That night in the desert was awful. It was hot and sticky, and there really wasn't a comfortable place to sleep. We had to sleep on the hot ground against rocks, since we aren't stupid enough to sleep in cacti.  
Once I was finally asleep, it was very restless, and the few dreams that I did have were vivid and strange, but I had no idea what they were after I woke up. I didn't wake up by my own choosing. Instead, I was woken by Angel.  
"Iggy!" She practically screamed in my right ear.  
"Wha-a-at?" I groaned.  
"I got a message for you! From my voice!"  
"Let me guess, I am the second to die? But I won't die, I will just leave the Flock." I said with sarcasm  
"No, Ig', this is really big though!" Angel replied, sounding very urgent.  
"Okay, shoot."  
"My voice told me 'The one who can't see will see true beauty.' But, my voice didn't tell me anything else. I just thought I'd tell you this." Angel sounded very solemn.  
How did I take this?  
Confusion, number one. Y'know, since it was the middle of the night?  
Happiness, number two. I'm the one who can't see, and anything involving me and seeing makes me happy.  
Curious, finally. What does 'True beauty' mean? A sunset, hot girl, ocean, the Flock, a flower? What?  
I kind of wished I had my own voice in my head. Maybe it'd help me make sense of this strange prophecy a seven year old just told me.  
"Let me sleep on that, Ang'.." I said, after a long thoughtful pause.  
"Okay. Just know I am always right!" Angel said. I then heard her feet walking away to wherever she was sleeping.  
I stayed up thinking for about another 30 minutes before slowly falling into restless sleep. Again.  
That morning when we woke up the air was a bit cooler which was a huge relief I stretched my arms, and then let my wings extend full out, and walked over to where I hear the echoes of footsteps.  
"Morning Ig' " Dylan said in a casual tone. "We're just waiting on Nudge, Night, and Brooke to wake up."  
I smelled some food cooking, I was just about to ask who made it, but Dylan added.  
"Have some breakfast; scrambled eggs. I found them in a nest near here." This dude really was a perfect little Ken-Doll. Taking my duty of cooking for the Flock. But it was better than when Max tried to cook...Bad memories.  
Soon the whole Flock was up and eating breakfast, and soon we'd take flight. We didn't worry about Rate not being able to fly, since he had super speed, and by my calculations he'd only be a few minutes behind us.  
Soon, under the mid morning sun,we all began to take flight. One by one, going from ground to air.  
We were soaring high above the desert at an altitude higher than the planes fly. Like I said before, and I will say again. Flying is freakin' amazing!  
This time we took no stops, and flew straight to Colorado. It took about 3 hours. Needless to say when we returned home we were extremely hungry and tired.  
As we landed on the roof, one at a time we climbed down the ladder, and walked inside to the house.  
"Wow!" Sarrah and Rate marveled.  
"This place is amazing!" Sarrah added.  
"Describe it." I heard Brooke say quietly to Sarrah.  
"Yeah, could you?" Night added. "It just looks like a blur to me. One big blur."  
"Well," Sarrah started out. In great long detail she described the house to Night and Brooke, and admittedly I listened in too. Sure, I'd heard the Flock tell me about the house, but the way Sarrah explained it, was well heart filled This was their first real home.  
I headed into the kitchen, and got the stuff out for us to make about 25 sandwiches for us to eat for lunch. I carried the loaf of white bread over to the table, Nudge carried the meats and cheeses, and Gazzy carried the sodas.  
When everything was set up, everyone made a mad dash to the table to make their sandwiches. All 50 pieces of bread were gone within minutes.

FAR OFF IN A LAB, SOMEWHERE IN TEXAS:  
"Ahh, the subjects are doing great. No one expects anything!" An elderly woman in a black dress marveled at a screen.  
"Mrs. Ratieds," Said her daughter, who never dared call her mother 'mom' or any other enduring term. Especially in a lab. "The probe tells us that they have arrived at home base. Our GPS shows it in the Colorado Rockie Mountains." Her daughter said looking at her computer screen, then back at her mother.  
"Perfect," Mrs. Ratieds said with a very sinister grin. "Now, tell the probe to get all the information they can out of the mutants. But, most importantly Max... She is the leader, the big prize."  
"Mrs. Ratieds ," A male voice – her son said. "Probe 2 has information from the black haired one. It turns out he could be more a concern than the girl."  
"Kyle Lucus Ratieds!" Mrs. Ratieds snapped. "They all are threats, besides the blind one, and perhaps the black one."  
"Are the probes companions threats?" Her daughter wondered.  
"No, he is trained to kill them if they fall out of line. That was part of the conditionings we gave him in the fall before he found them." Mrs. Ratieds rolled her eyes at her own children's foolishness. "You just didn't know, Amy because I was paying for your education. Nevertheless, back to work!" Mrs. Ratieds was never lenient, not even with her children – Especially with her children. 


End file.
